'Loyalest royalist' creates special room to catch royal baby action

Jul 16, 2013, 02:10 IST
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Agencies

It's not exactly a room with a view, but the public is being offered a chance to live like a royal a stone's throw from where the Duchess of Cambridge will give birth to the third in line to the throne

A flat near St Mary’s Hospital in central London, where Kate is to give birth, has been transformed into a royal household complete with royal plates, displays and portraits to rent to royal fanatics.

True blue fan: Margaret Tyler stands with both ‘It’s a Girl!’ and ‘It's a Boy!’ balloons outside the Lindo Wing of Saint Mary’s Hospital in London. She has decorated the special flat with items from her 10,000-piece private collection of royal memorabilia. Pic/AFP

It’s no average flat: Renowned British monarchist Margaret Tyler has totally transformed the accommodation, replacing the ordinary with items from her 10,000-piece private collection of royal memorabilia. Crockery and life-sized cut-outs of William and Kate are among the fitout.

“The whole world seems to be expectantly watching and waiting for the new heir to arrive and it makes me proud to see such interest,” Tyler said.

“I wanted to help other royalists get the best seat in the house to experience this monumental historic occasion and the property is the ideal place to do so.”

The apartment also has a state-of-the-art telescope to spy on the hospital, a set of binoculars, a giant TV and a couple of bottles of champagne to be cracked when the baby arrives.

Social accommodation website www.wimdu.co.uk is behind the one-bedroom flat makeover.

A spokeswoman said it was all about providing a unique experience and there had been keen interest in renting the ‘royal tribute’ flat, mostly from Europeans curious about the local obsession with the British royals. But it remains a lottery who will actually occupy the room when the baby is born.

Beckham says call baby David David Beckham has joked that the royal baby should be called David if it is a boy. “David’s pretty good. I think they should go for David - if it's a boy!” He added that Will-Kate will make ‘amazing parents’.

William plays polo as world awaits Kate may be due to have her baby soon, but Prince William isn't one to sit tight and wait for news -- instead, he’s off playing polo. Many in the British press had predicted William and Kate’s first child would arrive on Sunday. But the prince was enjoying a game of polo with his brother Prince Harry at a charity match at Cirencester Park Polo Club, almost 160 kilometres west of the capital.

The Duke now has a few more days off before he must return to work as an RAF search-and-rescue helicopter pilot based at RAF Valley on Anglesey, and is expected to stay at his wife’s side for as long as he can. After the match, which the royal brothers’ team lost, a visibly hot Duke chatted with representatives of their charities.